Alice
by chihiro hiroshima
Summary: From a fatal accident comes a New, destructive Wonderland, which is slowly corrupting because of Alice's own insanity. Can Alice save Wonderland before it's too late? My own version of American Mcgee's Alice. Please Read and Comment.
1. The Asylum

**Hey! This is a new story based on American Mcgee's Alice. I'm making my OWN interpretation of it, so don't get mad if Alice isn't the same one in the game. I haven't played this game yet by the way XD. But I read about where she goes and stuffs…yeah. XD The dialogue isn't EXACTLY the same, but you'll get the point ^_^ And by the way, it's on a first person basis, if you know what I mean…^_^**

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**Alice**

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**The Asylum**

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_I was sitting with my friends, the Mad Hatter, the March Hare and the Doormouse, in one of their ridiculous tea parties. The Hatter kept going on and on about why a raven was like a writing desk and the March Hare nodded along sipping cup after cup of tea. The dormouse was asleep…as usual._

_Oh how I wish I could have lived here, where the air is fresh and cool when it blows though my hair, where friends are never away from you and are always there when you need them, where I feel I could fit in and belong…_

_I was already drowsing off as the words turned into mumbles and my vision was fading into black. Suddenly, I heard the Hatter shriek._

"_Fire! Fire!" he cried flinging his cup into the air. My eyes shot open, wide enough to see that the table was indeed on fire. It was crawling slowly towards me, eating away the wood and porcelain on the table._

"_You must save Alice!!" cried the March Hare, pointing a finger at me. All three of them were in panic. I tried to get out of my seat, but I couldn't move a muscle._

_Suddenly, I heard the white rabbit calling. He wasn't around or anything, but his voice was loud and clear, like he was here as well._

"_Wake up Alice!" cried his voice "Wake up!!"_

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**AN: Italicized words are part of the dream. Bold italicized words are from the past. Normal words are present times. Just so you know ^_^**

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_**I woke up abruptly, sweating and breathing shortly. I was so relieved it was just a dream…but, why do I feel I'm still in it? Why do I smell smoke and feel some sort of heat coming from the other side of the door?**_

_**Am I still dreaming?**_

_**I could hear the crackling of fire outside and, somehow I hear voices screaming and struggling. Curious, I got out of bed and opened the door.**_

_**The whole house was on fire. The front part of the house was still safe, but it was slowly becoming charred. I knew my parents room was hit, so, not thinking rationally, I ran through the flames and tried to find their door.**_

"_**Mom? Dad?" I asked frantically. **_

"_**Alice…!" I heard my mother call faintly from the door in front of me. I went to it and started pulling at it.**_

"_**Mother! Father!" I cried trying to open the sealed door. The flames licked my hand. I cringed on pain.**_

"_**Go Alice! Save yourself!" said my father. I didn't want to leave them behind, but if I didn't act now, I wouldn't be able to escape myself. **_

_**So I ran. I ran through whatever space I could fit through, through the flames that caught on to my clothes and burned part of them. I tried to escape the fact that everything was disappearing as I ran away.**_

_**I managed to wedge myself through the door and fling myself on the snow-covered ground. Somewhere behind me the beams and foundations crashed and screams emanated from inside.**_

_**My head began to whirl so fast until finally everything turned black.**_

_**A few days later, I found myself at a hospital, breathing on a mask and surrounded by doctors and nurses.**_

"_**She's awake doctor," said a nurse. The doctor in the middle bent over to examine me and smiled through the mask he was wearing.**_

"_**Feeling better dear?" he asked. My head felt heavy but memories gushed in to drown out the numbness. Then I realized that I was alone.**_

_**I began to scream. All the doctor and nurses flinched back and tried to hold me down. I kicked and screamed some more, trying to get them away from me.**_

"_**Mother!!! Father!!!" I screamed.**_

"_**What do we do doctor?' asked the nurse.**_

"_**Sedate her," said the doctor. Another nurse got out a syringe and injected me with the fluids. It rushed through my bloodstream and into my head. Everything was becoming black once more.**_

"_**What else must we do?" I heard the nurse ask.**_

"_**Phone Rutledge," said the doctor, and everything turned black.**_

_**Shortly after, I woke up in a wheelchair, passing through the corridors of the Rutledge Asylum. **_

~~//~~

And nothing has changed since I came here. I remember hearing the shrieks of the insane people above me, the ones who lived in cells and wore straightjackets their whole lives. I remember the silence of the little rooms of the children who were mentally handicapped to the brink of insanity.

Some were younger than I was. It was dreadful, but I never felt sympathy for them. They stared at me through the small glass panels of their doors with blank, pale eyes and some of them were bloodshot. Their gazes looked hungry, like they wanted to kill me.

I remember going up to the next level, where the insane adults are. My nurse said there were these two brothers that were locked up because one of them was insane and he killed his brother's wife, and as a result, his brother became insane as well. She said that they nearly stabbed each other with glass out of their madness.

She also said there was another patient who became a cannibal and began killing and consuming people for her own personal pleasure. I saw her. The muzzle she wore nearly covered her whole face, but she seemed to be looking at me as if I were some snack to her.

There was another patient whose door had a double bolt because this man was a general who became insane after he was defeated in battle and began killing other people, thinking he was still in war. He truly looked insane. His clothes looked like they came from the time of the Nazi.

The janitor always seemed so jittery when I remembered him. It seemed hard for one to know when he would stand still not. Every few minutes he would bring out a small brass canteen and he would always take more than a gulp from it. After that, he would shudder and smile to himself.

Now, I wasn't sure if this place was part jail cell or not, because I remember turning right to a dark corridor, darker than the first, and I would see this dirty, grimy, jail cell. Inside it were two men of different ages.

I remember seeing the young man look at me. He was really handsome, but frankly I'm very apathetic to men, but his eyes looked terribly pitiful. Like they wanted to be free from being in there for God knows how long.

I remember seeing the old man always have a cigar with him and he would puff it everyday. I wondered when he would get cancer from smoking too much. He would mutter strange , inaudible things, and I would always think it was because he WAS getting cancer.

I remember reaching this office and we all went inside. Inside was this man about 40, scribbling into his notebook, and two identical twin boys flanked him, each with jet-black hair and piercing eyes. His nameplate read Dr. James Maddatirre

Dr. Maddatirre looked up and smiled at me. I looked back, not returning his smile.

"Welcome to Rutledge, Alice," he said.

And nothing has changed after that. Nothing was different. Everything remained as it should be, dark and desolate.

Nothing has changed.

Until now.

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**Hey guys! Hope you liked it!!! It's my first Alice fic, so be nice. XD Oh and I won't be following the dialogue of the game. I'll be doing my own, so it's more original XD. Again, you have been warned. ^_^**


	2. Down The Rabbit Hole

**Heyy guys!!! So, this is chapter 2! I hope you guys like it! I'm reviewing the sequence of events in Alice, so the flow won't be soo…. messed up :D **

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**Down the Rabbit Hole**

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I lay on the dirty hospital bed and looked up at the grimy ceiling. These past few weeks, I have had nightmares of a dark abyss, red walls and fire. Big, bright, blazing fire. It surrounded me, and I heard voice screaming my name, rising in pitch every minute. It was so suppressing that I woke up screaming myself.

I needed help. This dream kept on coming back every time I closed my eyes. It corrupted the empty space in my head so much, that I cracked. I finally cracked. My view of the world became like glass splinters in my eyes. Ugly and painful.

I couldn't take it anymore. The only time people started noticing my uncontrollable self was when a nurse shrieked when she saw my bloody wrists. I've lost a lot of blood, they said. Maybe it was just my continuous slashing of the blade against my skin, getting deeper each time.

Maybe I just didn't notice that I was slowly dying in the process.

Whatever it was, they had me on a blood line for weeks on end. I couldn't move. I didn't want to move. I just held on to my rag doll rabbit and left my eyes open for fear that my dream might come to me once again.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. I didn't open my mouth. The people outside knew the answer.

The door opened and inside stepped Dr. Maddatirre with his two assistants, Theodore and Tristan. The doctor, for me, was a very strange man. He always wore a huge top hat upon his head and always had a coffee cup in hand.

The boys were even stranger. They weren't your average dumb pathetic excuses for assistants. No. They were smarter than the average human, but the aura they carried around them was very menacing.

I was very used to their coming and going. Everyday, they would inject me with morphine to reduce my anxiety level. Personally, they didn't have to because I hardly make a fuss.

It's the dreams and hallucinations that usually drive them to drug me.

"Good morning Alice and how are we today?" asked Dr. Maddatirre tipping his hat in greeting. I didn't answer. I was too focused on the ceiling to even listen to a word he said.

"Let's check your blood pressure," said the doctor, snapping his fingers at one of the twins. Trevor, the shorter twin, brought out the blood pressure taker and placed the strap on my arm.

At that very moment, I saw some form of darkness eat away the ceiling and the opening showed different scenes. It was all too fast I couldn't keep track. But then I saw the fire and I felt it burning my skin and I heard screams from a distance, calling my name.

"Blood pressure is rising," said Trevor. Dr. Maddatirre looked at my face, which was contorted in fear.

"Shes hallucinating," said the doctor "Get the morphine."

"Stop it! Please!!" I screamed at no one. I couldn't control what I was saying anymore. All I wanted was to get away from the fire.

"Hold her down," ordered the doctor as he filled the syringe with morphine. I felt my arms and feet being weighed down by the strength that these boys possessed. But their strength was no match for my uncontrollable shaking.

The Fire was still there. It was consuming the whole ceiling. And the screams were getting louder and louder. My ears were bleeding from the horrible sound.

"Make it stop!!!" I screamed, thrashing about. The boys placed all their weight on me, but I continued thrashing.

The doctor finally got to me and injected the drug. I stopped thrashing and breathed slowly. The darkness consumed my sight.

~~//~~

It seemed like forever before I regained sight. When I first opened my eyes, everything was consumed in white light before they took form. It took while for my brain to register its surroundings. When it finally did, I realized that night had already fallen.

I sighed and pulled my rabbit doll closer. This rabbit doll meant a lot to me, since this was my only form of company and it seemed to help me pull myself together when I felt like falling apart. It was so worn with age that its eyes were about to fall off.

I've been staring at the ceiling for a few minutes now, taking in every speck of dust and every web that hung on the corners. When I wasn't hallucinating, I'd always dream of a better life, like a life in Wonderland. Oh how fun it must be to live in a place of color and splendor. Where nothing can go wrong, where no one dies…

That's when I heard it. A faint whisper in the darkness. A whisper so distant yet so close that I could hear every word perfectly.

It was saying "Save us Alice!" over and over again, increasing in volume every time. I scanned the whole room from my bed, searching for the sound, but no avail. Even in the dark corners there was no sound.

Thinking I was hallucinating again, I leaned back and looked at my rabbit. My rabbit looked at me in return.

And then it said "Save us Alice!"

I screamed and threw it against the wall. I watched in terror as it mutated into something different. The seams broke and limbs sprouted out. Stuffing flew in all directions and before I knew it, the monster crashed through the window and dashed into the night.

I couldn't move for a while. I thought I swore the monster had long ears, a waistcoat, a top had and a pocket watch.

I jumped out of bed and flung open the door. I bolted down the hallway, past the staring eyes. Most of the residents were alert. Maybe it's their habit, or maybe they heard the crash.

The nurses were busy going back and forth, checking if no one escaped the facility. They saw me, but I kept on running. I needed to find that rabbit.

Suddenly, I was yanked by my elbows and thrown to the ground. Above me were the twins, towering over me like were about to kill me.

"Where do you think you're going?" demanded Trevor.

"I need to go find the rabbit," I said getting up to make a break for it, only to be pushed down again.

"She's hallucinating again," said Tristan "Shall I go inform the doctor?"

"Yeah I'll hold her," replied Trevor, tugging me up and gripping my shoulders tightly. I squirmed hard under his grip.

"Stop moving you little brat," demanded Trevor. But I needed to get to the that rabbit. I needed to find it.

So, I kicked him hard on the shin and, as his hands left my shoulder, I bolted. Past the staring eyes. Past the bewildered faces of the nurses.

I ran till I was finally away from the double doors and standing outside the entrance. The nurses were so frenzied by my escape that they bumped into each other while hunting for a tranquilizer to stop me with. I heard Trevor screaming "Stop her!!" at the top of his lungs to the nurses around him.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a shadow move swiftly in the darkness. I immediately ran to that direction and found myself in a dark forest. I heard the nurses coming after me, so I acted fast and tried to look for the rabbit.

The search ended when I saw a flash of red, white and gold disappear into a small hole under a tree. Following my instincts, I crawled into the hole. The voices of the nurses seemed to die out as I kept going further into the slowly tightening tunnel.

Just when I thought the air supply was running out, the floor suddenly disappeared and I fell into an endless hole.


	3. The Village of the Doomed

**Hey readers!!!! Sorry for the EXTREMELY long wait. Loads of stuff to do and no time to write. So….here ya go!**

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**The Village of the Doomed**

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I landed hard on the rocky ground. Rubbing my back, I looked around. It seemed different here. The bed of leaves that I landed in before was totally gone and was replaced by sharp rocks. Nevertheless, I knew where I was.

The atmosphere was very different here. It seemed dark and gloomy and somewhat devastating. I got up, still shaky from the fall, and tried to look for the Rabbit. It took me a few minutes to find him, only to see him dart around the corner and out of sight.

Hoping I would catch him, I ran in his direction and looked around the corner where he passed. Unfortunately, he was gone. I sighed and walked back to where I landed. How on earth was I supposed to get out of here now?

"Hello Alice," said a cool yet chilling voice from behind. I looked behind and saw a grin floating in mid-air. I stared at it curiously. It wasn't the familiar grin I used to know…

Then a face materialized around the grin and connected to a strangely skinny body. The cat seemed different. More menacing. But nevertheless, it was good that a familiar face showed up.

"You've gone quite mangy, cat," I said in greeting "But your grin's a comfort." The cat looked a bit displeased as he walked towards me.

"And you've picked up a bit of an attitude," he said "Still curious and willing to learn I hope?"I couldn't help but smile at his sarcasm.

"What has happened to Wonderland?" I asked him "It seems…strange."

"Why don't you ask?" said the cat coolly "Rabbit knows a thing or two and personally, I don't need a weathervane to tell me which way the wind blows." I looked at him curiously.

"Follow your need Alice. Pursue Rabbit," he said and with that, he disappeared from view. Not knowing what else to do, I sprinted down the hall way and, in a few minutes, found myself in the midst of orb-carrying goblins. They all look like time had took away their spirit and left them as soul-less zombies.

I approached one and asked "What happened to you?"

"Our land was destroyed," he said sadly "Our spirit crushed." I looked around. The mood reminded me of the asylum.

"Why is that so? Is there no joy here?" I asked. But the gnome just shook his weary head.

"Slavery and happiness do not dwell in the same house," said the gnome and he ran off. Dreadfully confused, I looked around for any sign of other gnomes in the vicinity. Fortunately, I saw one. The problem was he was on the other side of an immensely large cloud of smoke.

_How am I supposed to get on the other side?_ I wondered.

"When the path is problematic, consider a leap of faith," said a cool yet sinister voice in the air "Ride the wind." Hoping the Cat was correct, I took a running start and jumped into the smoke.

Fortunately enough, I rose up around 5 feet above the ground and I could clearly see the landing. But I was slowly losing altitude. So I pushed myself towards the landing and landed firmly on the wooden planks. The gnome in front of me looked startled.

"Don't cause trouble for me, stranger," he said "The Red Queen's soldiers aren't really the merciful type." He spoke her name with such fear that made me think that she was 10 times worse than when I had last seen her.

"I'm not afraid of her or her creatures," I said defiantly "You should stand up to them." But, like the first gnome, he shook his weary head.

"Defiance is useless," he said gloomily "Only death can free us from our misery."

"Or maybe hers, I suppose?" I said hopefully. But the gnome again shook his head and left. Irritated, I left in search for more information. I kept walking and looking, but no avail. I wondered where the Cat had gone. Maybe he had more things to tell me about what was happening.

Suddenly, I felt my foot brush against something metallic. I picked it up. It was a blade, a big and slightly bloody blade to be exact. _Maybe I can use this to fight of the Red Queen's guards…_

"Your knife is necessary, but not sufficient," said the Cat's voice "Always collect whatever's useful. Reject your ignorance and you may survive." I gazed at the blade. Reject your ignorance…I guess that means that this knife isn't the only thing that can help me defeat enemies.

I looked around me for more gnomes who might know something, and fortunately I saw one, but that wasn't what caught my eye. It was the Rabbit. It was looking around frantically until it ran off, getting smaller and smaller, until it went into a mouse hole.

I tried to catch up with him, but when I got to the top of the ramp, he had disappeared. Fuming, I went up to the first gnome I saw. He looked just like the other two. Depressed and hopeless.

"Why does everyone look so hopeless?" I asked, trying to hide my exasperation "Are things really bad around here?"

"Ah, the truth would reduce you to a blubbering baby," replied the gnome "Are you the savior Rabbit was telling us about?" I was taken aback for a second. Neither the Cat nor Rabbit told me that I was some sort of savior.

"I shouldn't think so," I replied unsure "I'm just a person. And right about now, I wish to be very small." I held up my thumb and index finger in a gesture of something small "About this big."

"Calls for serious twisting," said the gnome thoughtfully "You need to go sideways, not forward. If I knew how, I'd go sideways myself." I was getting frustrated with his answers.

"Not sideways, small," I repeated "This big." I held up my fingers again.

"The Fortress of Doors holds the answer," said the gnome "But it won't be so easy getting inside." With that, he left me. I suppressed a groan and continued walking, but was stopped abruptly when she heard a tremendous roar behind me

I looked behind and saw a gigantic card guard gripping a rather deadly looking club, its expression bloodthirsty. I couldn't move. Since when did they get THIS big?

Once it started advancing, my hand flew to the place where the blade was. I backed away a few paces until my back reached the stone wall. The guard was now inches from me and with another deafening roar it raised the club.

Everything went by so fast. The next thing I knew, the guard was doubled up in pain and blood was spurting from his chest, with the knife protruding out of it. Seizing the opportunity, I grabbed the knife from his chest and began to slash at it, ripping it into bits.

Now the guard looked like an ordinary ripped up playing card. A bloody ripped up playing card. Suddenly, I saw something glowing from within the bloody mass. I reached out and took it in my hands. It pulsed red and blue between my fingertips.

It then slowly melted in my fingers and seeped through every inch of my body. I slowly regained strength, even more than I had before.

"Meta-essence is the life force of Wonderland, that of your enemies is extremely potent," I heard the Cat say "Collect what you can. Use it wisely." I gazed at the ripped mass in front of me. _That of your enemies is extremely potent…_

_Maybe if I collect enough, I might be strong enough to defeat the Queen! _I had to think twice about that idea. She might be 10 times stronger than I am…

With a heavy sigh, I continued on my way to my new destination: The Fortress of Doors.


	4. The Fortress of Doors

**Heyyyy! I haven't been updating so much here…and I apologize. But I'm trying to do my best in updating as much as I can before Christmas. So there. Hope you enjoy this next chapter! ^_^**

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**The Fortress of Doors**

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As I was walking to my destination, I realized that I had absolutely no idea where the Fortress of Doors was. Ever since Wonderland drastically changed, I didn't remember where anything was anymore. So I set off to look for yet another gnome to assist me.

I walked up a ramp and saw a gnome, wearing the same expression as the previous gnomes. I felt a mixture of annoyance and pity for the gnomes. I mean, I know Wonderland is in total ruin, but couldn't I at least talk to them without any of them looking like they are about to die?

"Rabbit told us a champion would come," said the gnome when he saw me "Are you that champion?"

"Perhaps…" I said, not sure if I really was that champion at all. I got back to my objective "Can you get me into the Fortress of Doors?"

"Oh no. I wouldn't dare," said the gnome fearfully "Since the upheaval, we've become gutless half-wits." I sighed in frustration. How am I supposed to get there now? The gnome saw my expression and changed his tone.

"But," he said "Make your way to the mines—the deepest pit. There is one wiser and braver than myself who might help. He still lives free!" I felt relieved. Finally, a solution!

I thanked the gnome and made my way into the mines. It look a very long time getting to the deepest pit. The path twisted in different directions and even branched out to different sections. Rocks and beams obscured some pathways, so I was forced to go back to the starting point and go another path.

Finally I reached the deepest pit. It was very damp and dark. So dark that I couldn't even see my hands. But with the limited lamplight, I was able to make out certain figures.

Like an old gnome crouched in a corner.

He sat there smoking a pipe, looking very isolated. I went up to him and tapped his shoulder. He jumped, nearly dropping his pipe, and whirled around to look at me. He had a questioning look upon his face.

"Who are you?" he demanded "And why do you pursue me to this deserted place?"

"To benefit from your wisdom," I replied simply. The old gnome snorted.

"Even blurred vision is valued by the blind," he muttered "If I were clever, would I be cowering in this slag heap? I'm not wise girl…" His voice began to trail off. "I've just grown old." I sighed in exasperation. I didn't have time to deal with yet another angst-filled gnome.

"I wish to become very small," I said getting to the point "No bigger than a mouse. Do you know how I might do that?"

"Only that?" said the gnome in surprise "Oh I can manage that…for a price." He added slyly. I became suspicious.

"I have nothing of value," I said carefully.

"You have nerve and your health," said the gnome "Mine are nearly gone. I've seen too much suffering…and I smoke too much you see." He gestured to his pipe.

"What should I do?" I asked him.

"In the Card Guard's compound, a particularly rough diamond holds the key," explained the gnome "Retrieve it. I will…repay the favor." He showed me the entrance to my mission. I thanked him and walked in.

It had the same structure as the pathways I have gone through, except it was much damper and darker. It look a few minutes before I abruptly stopped at a small mine elevator. In it was a cart piled with coal. Thinking it was my only way to get to the compound, I climbed on top of it and settled myself into the coal.

Suddenly, the cart began to rise up. It rose a whole 30 feet above the ground before coming to rest at the top of a rusty railway. It then began to roll forward and down the railway. It was like an amusement ride.

Boulders fell right in front of my eyes, shattering a part of the railway, as the cart began picking up speed. I prayed that the cart would have enough speed so that it would jump over the huge gap. Sure enough, as the cart neared the gap, I felt myself soaring over it and landing heavily on the rickety track.

I continued to zoom forward, the cart and track rattling with each movement. The track twisted dangerously in many directions. With every sharp turn, I felt myself nearly being thrown off the cart. It was a very dangerous situation, but I couldn't help feeling the thrill of twisting and going downhill.

Suddenly, the track stopped at a cliff. It didn't continue to the next landing. I had no intention to see what was inside the crevice of the cliff, so I leaped off the cart and landed hard on the rocky ground. I watched as the cart flew off the track and disappear into the depths below.

Suddenly, I heard a roar behind me. A huge card guard was charging towards me, brandishing a huge axe. I drew out my blade and challenged him into combat. He slashed roughly at me, giving cuts on my arms and nearly driving me to the edge of the cliff. But with swift movements, I was able to slash at him, reducing him to the same bloody mass as the other card guard.

Meta-essence sprung from him. It gathered in my hands and sunk beneath my skin. I felt energized. The cuts on my arms healed almost entirely. I continued to the guard's compound.

I was surprised that no one was guarding the entrance. I walked into the dark hallway, which opened up into a large room. In the middle of the room was an old diamond-shaped table and on it was a skull key.

_Huh…so this is the rough diamond,_ I thought to myself. I made my way to the center of the room and was about to get the key, when I heard growls and roars in every part of the room.

The card guards surrounded me, each with their own deadly weapon. I cursed myself for having only one measly weapon.

We began to fight. They slashed at me barbarically. I slashed back at them just as hard. They wounded me and almost killed me, but I kept fighting until I ripped all of them apart. Their meta-essences flowed into my skin and I regained my strength. All the wounds sealed shut.

I grabbed the key and a door opened. I entered it and found myself in a small village, surrounded by card guards. I saw the old gnome waving at me and disappearing into a portal in one of the doorways. I sighed in annoyance. _Here we go again._

I jumped from landing to landing, ripping all the cards in my way with my blade and collecting their meta-essences. Some of the wounds they gave me were nearly fatal, but were healed by the meta-essence I collected.

I finally reached the portal and entered it. I found the old gnome boarding a small blimp. He smiled with joy, seeing the key in my hands.

"You have the key!" he said "Very resourceful. Rabbit's confidence is not misplaced. He is no fool."

"I certainly hope he's not," I said.

"Use the key to free my clan from the oppressive burden they carry," said the gnome as he started up the blimp "Any fight against the Queen's tyranny is a good fight. They've suffered—"

"I'm sure I'm very sorry for them, sir, really I am," I interrupted him in mid-speech "But what about me getting small?" He didn't reply. I got frustrated with him.

We flew for about an hour before we saw a building emerge from the darkness. I saw out of the corner of my eye a little boy jumping and clapping continuously. I couldn't see his features properly, but I assumed he was mentally unstable. As we pulled away from him, I looked at him as he continued to jump and clap until he fell off the cliff he was standing on. Honestly, I was very freaked out by this, but I removed it from my memory and just kept looking forward.

We flew by the huge stalactites obscuring the way. It was very silent inside the cave we were in, except for the sound of bats and a very distant noise in the depths of the cave. Finally, the gnome spoke.

"There's a school inside the Fortress, where you'll find certain items for creating a concoction that will make you small," he explained.

"What items exactly?" I asked him, hoping these won't be hard to find. He didn't reply again. I sighed in exasperation.

We continued to fly for a few more minutes until we reached the landing of the entrance. The gnome spoke again.

"Items girl!" he said "You'll know them when you see them. Speaking of seeing things…" He lowered his voice. "We should avoid the card guard's notice—hang on…"

He heard a loud angry noise from below. We both looked down and saw a card guard roaring at us, brandishing his weapon and signaling his comrades. This wasn't a good sign.

"Dammit!" cursed the gnome "We've been seen!" He turned the blimp around and headed for another direction. The card guards shot flaming arrows at us, narrowly missing the balloon that held us. They continued firing at us.

We went up and down and side to side, trying to avoid the arrows, but they were just too hard to surpass. Finally, the gnome decided to go back to the building, which was surrounded by a thick wall. The arrows kept coming at us.

"Eventually we must break through such walls,' he said hurriedly as his feet pedaled furiously to avoid the arrows "But for now, JUMP!!" He drew closer to the wall and signaled me to jump.

I jumped and landed hard on top of the wall. Before I could even regain my composure, the multitude of card guards surrounded me.


	5. The School of the Insane

**GUYS! This will be my last post before exams. Sorry for the long wait. School is a pain and they gave us major year end projects for us to finish. GOOD NEWS THO! I'm only taking 2 exams, so that means more updates from me!!**

**Well, just wait for more updates :P**

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**The School of the Insane**

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I quickly brought out my blade as the guards advanced towards me. They all attacked at once, but I was quick. I sliced off limbs and cut through bodies until they were all reduced to bloody pieces of paper and body parts. I myself suffered severe wounds. A guard axed my shoulder, so there was a deep wound in that area. Not to mention the many bruises and cuts on my body from the weapons of the guards.

But the meta-essence from their bodies flowed into me and all my wounds were healed instantly. I regained my strength and resumed my mission.

I entered the rocky fortress. It was surrounded by crumbling stone and bricks. Dark moss lined the cracks in the walls. I saw card guards in different areas of the fortress, so I stayed in the dark to be kept out of sight.

I entered the first room I came across. It was a room lined with arches and there was no roof to cover it, so the wonderland sky was exposed. I thought the room was empty so I proceeded inside.

Turns out it wasn't.

Something knocked me off my feet and onto the floor when I reached the center of the room. I looked up and saw banshees shrieking above. They swooped down at me and I sliced at them, but they were too far from my reach.

Once they abandoned me for a while, I backed into a corner and thought quickly of how to get rid of them. Unfortunately, they found me and began to swoop towards me again, clawing at my skin and deafening me with their shrieks.

I ran to another corner, but the banshees followed me. I threw my blade at one of them and it was struck heavily, losing focus for a second. I quickly darted to the fallen blade and threw it again. This time the banshee burst into flames, shrieking loudly.

Unfortunately, the other banshee was still alive and continued to chase me. I threw my blade twice and it eventually burst into flames like its friend. I panted hard, supporting myself on my knees. Their meta-essences seeped into my skin.

Suddenly, I saw something red glowing in the far corner of the room. I made my way towards it and saw that it was a deck of red playing cards. I accidentally brushed my finger along the edge of a card and sliced it. I didn't notice the cut until I saw blood seeping through the wound.

The cards cut like glass, swift yet severe.

"52 pickup is a staple of juvenile humor," she heard the cat's voice echo around the room "But when the card slices and dices, it's no laughing matter." I looked at the cards for the last time and stowed it away in my pocket.

Suddenly, I heard a loud creaking below me. I then saw the planks on the floor beginning to separate. I quickly made my way up the nearest staircase and watched from the second floor as a part of the room began to float away.

The problem was the portal to the next room was on the separated side of the room.

Wasting no time, I took a running jump to the opposite end of the broken beam and landed heavily on the other side. Suddenly, the beam began to tilt sharply to the right. I felt myself sliding off. I quickly ran to the end of the beam and jumped to the other end.

I entered the portal and found myself in a dark corridor. It opened to a room supported by blue stone pillars. The pathway in the room was maze-like and it took me a while to get to the center of the room.

At the center of the room was a red vial floating above the ground. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw card guards moving towards me. I could have ended them all with my blade, but I decided to get to the red vial first, thinking it was more important than eliminating the guards.

I touched the vial and it sprayed a red gas into my face. I cried out as the gas seeped into my skin and flowed within my bloodstream. I crouched on the floor, struggling with the pain. My muscles were spasming, my eyes were clouded and my nerves were tingling furiously.

Suddenly, my skin turned a crimson red and I felt myself become stronger. My mind was filled with an uncontrollable desire to kill. The guards around me were stunned. I used this advantage.

I ran to the first guard I saw and took a powerful swipe at him. He immediately was sliced in half. I cut through the other guards as though cutting paper. Before I knew it, they were all separated around me.

I wasted no time and began looking for the door to the next room. As I looked for it, my skin returned slowly to its original color and my desire to kill was lessened.

I found the door and it opened to place that could hardly be considered as a room. It had no walls and the other side was father away from where I was standing. There were only a few tiles left before the floor dropped off into oblivion. Things were floating around me, like a giant door that nearly brushed my head.

Suddenly, tiles began to magically assemble themselves before me and the floor became wide enough for me to walk on. I walked to the edge of the floor and stared at the end of the room, wondering how on earth I could get to the other side.

All of a sudden, a puzzle piece-like part of the floor appeared before my eyes. I jumped on it and suddenly the other side seemed nearer. Another piece appeared and another and another until it led to the end of the room.

I continued walking and jumping until I reached the portal at the end of the room and entered it. I found myself in a room with the same structure as the last one.

I looked at the next room at the end of the floating spectrum. I saw a portal at the end of the room, but was closed off by 3 doors. I walked to the edge of the floor, but I was caught off guard by loud shrieking noises.

I looked up and saw banshees swirling around me. As they swooped towards me, I evaded them narrowly. I threw my blade once at them and they both burst into flames.

I quickly made my way down the stairs, not willing to face any more banshees.

Once I reached the landing, I saw 3 levers lined in a row. I approached them, wondering what I have to do with them.

"The proper order of things is often a mystery to me," said the Cat's voice "You too?" I looked at the levers again. I had no time to play mind games.

Seeing as I had no choice, I decided to try pulling the lever on the far right. As I pulled it back, I heard the sound of one of the doors on the far end open. Thinking it was a good sign, I proceeded to pull the lever on the far left. I heard the second door open. Seeing as the middle one has not been pulled yet, I pulled it down hard and the last door opened.

I ran back up the stairs, my blood pulsing with exhilaration. Now it was just a matter of getting across. I jumped on the nearest chessboard piece and continued to cross it as several pieces came up to complete the bridge.

But my journey was stopped by a sudden rush of air. My brain didn't recognize the attack until I saw a red card guard hurling diamond projectiles at me. I was able to block a few off, but one made my foot slip on the edge of the bridge and nearly sent me to my death.

Regaining my balance, I threw my blade sharply at him and it cut neatly through his chest. He fell heavily like a newly sawed tree and his meta essence went to me, absorbing through my skin.

I continued walking on, minding the black card guard that still remained. He was lumbering around wildly, probably looking for me. I saw my blade and jumped nimbly onto the platform. He didn't notice anything.

I quickly snatched my blade and attacked him from behind. He was completely unaware of the attack and before he knew it, the blade had cut through his chest.

I ran through the corridors, passing from door through door. I was nearing the last door when a card guard appeared out of nowhere and hurled a diamond projectile at me.

I felt it slice through my cheek, but I ignored the pain and attacked him. I continued to fight him until he was down on the ground bleeding. I walked over him and through the final door.

I found myself in yet another roofless room and was about to take another step when the room morphed into something different.

It was seemed to be stretching into a higher structure. The arches and pillars stretched longer and the next portal moved up higher than its original position. A huge part of the floor turned and broke into several little pieces. These pieces floated up into the air and positioned themselves above the ground.

I sighed in exasperation. Though wonderland never ceased to amaze me, I couldn't help but feel annoyed that this didn't make life any easier for me.

Nevertheless, I took the challenge and jumped on a piece. Suddenly, all the pieces started to move simultaneously, which made it very hard for me to find a landing space.

I cursed under my breath. Wonderland was truly impossible. Keeping my timing, I managed to jump on several pieces, bringing me closer to the portal. Once I reached my last piece, I had to back away a few paces. The gap between the landing space and the piece was rather large.

I took a running jump and nearly missed the landing space by an inch. I passed through the portal and found myself in a new room.

I was on an elevated walkway, probably above the place where I found that red vial. The portal was right in front of me. I smiled in triumph and made my way towards it.

Unfortunately though, it closed and flew away from my reach. In its place were two banshees, much larger than the ones I had fought before. They shrieked loudly, throwing me off balance.

They wasted no time in attacking me and making me deaf with their unnaturally loud shrieks. They hit me from all sides, not giving me a chance to strike back. They were very powerful beings. I found myself getting weaker and weaker with each blow. My clothes were slowly staining with dark blood.

I attempted to fight back. I slashed at them with my blade, despite their fatal blows, until they burst into flames and disappeared. I sank down on the ground panting, blood running down every inch of my skin, drenching the floor and my clothes. I waited patiently as the meta-essence reached me and seeped through my skin.

The bleeding eventually stopped and I gained my strength back. I got up once again and brushed the dirt off my clothes.

I looked up and saw three doors. I glared at them. _Wonderland, you bastard, _I thought. I made my way to the middle door and tried to go through it, but I was forced out. It was like it didn't allow me in, and this utterly frustrated me.

What was even more frustrating was that the doors rose up from their places and shuffled, so a different door was placed in a different place. I resisted the urge to scream and once again opened the middle door.

Fortunately, it was the portal.

I stepped through it and once again found myself outside the school. I spotted a card guard and made my way silently, hoping he didn't notice me. Unfortunately, he did and lumbered towards me, wielding his axe. I threw my blade sharply at him, hitting him square on the chest.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a banshee make its way towards me. I then realized that I have a very, very strong hatred towards these creatures. In my irritation, I wasted no time in attacking it until it burst into flames. These creatures were seriously annoying the life out of me.

I continued down the path until I saw the Cat perched on the ledge, twitching its tail mischievously. I made my way towards him, hoping he had some helpful advice for me.

"Entering a school requires a leap of logic," he said mysteriously, gesturing to an open window before disappearing. I gazed at the window. So this was the school of the insane.

I stepped on the ledge and gazed at the school. It was rocking slowly back and forth, making the window ledge very hard to land on.

Nevertheless, I took my chance and leaped.


	6. Within The School Walls

**So I was looking at the story stats and saw that people are still very much interested in this particular story. HAHAHAHAHA. So I'm reviving it because I love you all :" HAHAHAHA. I'm guessing you guys like reading story renditions like these, huh? **

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**Within the School Walls**

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By some stroke of luck, I managed to land on the ledge of the window. I slipped in before I got the chance to fall and snap my spine. There wasn't much in the room I was in. Just a carpet, a door, a Phrenology chart…

And a very unnatural looking child.

I have to admit, my blood ran cold at that moment. Not only did that poor child look frightening, it looked pathetic. He was completely bald with a metal brace attached to his head. His eyes looked like they were about to fall from its sockets. The brace pulled at his lips, forcing him into a permanent smile. He walked around aimlessly, like he had no idea where he was or who he was even.

What _is _this place? What are they doing to children like this? I pushed all those thoughts aside momentarily. I had a mission to accomplish.

I ran past the child and burst through the doors. And guess who I meet? Another card guard. Delightful. Acting upon instinct, I ran towards him, narrowly avoiding projectiles from above and stabbed him in the chest.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a pair of big red doors. I looked at the other doors around the room. This one looked different from the others. I guessed it was where I needed to go. I ducked just as a projective flew past my head.

I'll get that guy later.

I burst through the red doors and found myself in an auditorium. A gigantic and abandoned auditorium. There was no sign of life anywhere, except for the old gnome that stood in front, smoking his pipe.

I approached him carefully, but just as before, he didn't seem to be very harmful. He was staring at the empty stage, blowing out smoke. I stood beside him.

Suddenly, sections of the stage disappeared and smoke began to rise from them. Then, to my horror, children just like the boy I saw were being elevated onto the stage. It was a pitiful sight. They were laughing and crying and screaming and thrashing all at once. They seemed insane. They _were _insane.

"There's a bit more to do than you suggested, don't you think?" I said sarcastically to the old gnome.

He narrowed his eyes at me. "No need for sarcasm. I admit my memory's not what it was. But I'm here now. I'll try to amend its deficiencies." He took another whiff of his pipe. The children continued to thrash around onstage helplessly.

"The library contains the recipe for the potion," he continued "Consult the Book of Bizzare things…" I waited patiently for him to continue his instructions. But he seemed to be more interested on what was happening behind him "Oh no! Run!"

I looked behind me and saw two card guards rushing towards us. I turned towards the old gnome and saw that he was gone. Brilliant. I brandished my blade and went to work.

The nearest one lumbered after me and managed to slice at my arm with his axe. I decided to retaliate and sliced off his legs before cutting him up into pieces. Whipping around, I managed to cut the other one in half before he even got a chance to attack. What a shame.

As I let the meta-essence flow into my body, I glanced back at the children. They needed to be saved. I couldn't just let them suffer like this. Then again, what can _I _do? I'm just a little girl.

And I have a rabbit to follow.

With one last look at the children, I dashed up the ramp and out of the red doors. Suddenly a sharp pain entered my skull. Instinctively, I held it and closed my eyes, waiting for the pain to subside.

I saw something happen in my mind. I saw the old gnome appearing in the library. He approached a shelf of books and moved a book from its place. Then the shelf moved back, revealing a little room behind it.

The vision ended and I was back in the first floor landing. The gnome made the way for me. I had to take it.

I dashed up the steps and was met by two more guards. I looked at the guard to my left. There's the brute that was throwing the projectiles at me. I decided to go after him first. In a blur of blood and slashing metal, I finished him and his companion without breaking a sweat. Yes, conceited I know. But it was the truth.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something glowing on the platform away from me. I took a running leap and landed squarely in the middle. I saw something hovering before me. It was a croquet mallet with the head of a flamingo. Its red eyes burned like fire in the dark space.

"Here's a riddle," I heard The Cat say "When is a croquet mallet like a Billy club?" I kept quiet. I had no answer. "I'll tell you: Whenever you want it to be."

_Thanks, Cat,_ I said, grateful that he didn't see me rolling his eyes at him. I grabbed the mallet and jumped back onto the other platform. I saw another set of red doors and dashed through them.

Two card guards were waiting for me at the entrance. I gripped the mallet tighter. Let's see what this thing can do. I swung it once and a huge croquet ball smashed into one of the guards. I hurled yet another ball into the other one's face. Unfortunately, the guards were still alive and blood thirsty. They came at me with their spears and jabbed at every area they could see. I retaliated by smashing the mallet onto their tiny heads until they fell in a crumpled, bloody heap.

I looked at the mallet. Useful, but not as effective as my knife. Nevertheless, it's a new weapon. I decided to use it to my advantage.

I burst into the library. Without hesitating, I swung at every card guard I met along the way. I noticed that, as I smashed it into one, it sent an electric shock into his body, frying him completely. Neat.

Once I finished them off, I continued to run down the corridor. I saw something glowing on my left and ran towards it. It was a giant book.

Was this it? The book of Bizarre things? I touched it, and suddenly, it opened and began to fly up towards the second level. I scowled. Great. Now I have to chase this stupid book. Excellent.

Wasting no time, I tried to find a way up to the next level. I saw some steps, but as I neared it, I saw that there were only two steps, nothing more. I was about to try to look for another alternative, but I decided to take my chance. I stood on the topmost step and it began to take me up to the rafters.

It was advantageous, but it made no sense. Then again, what was Wonderland without its nonsense?

Then I saw the Cat, standing beside a bookshelf and looking as mischievous as ever. "Steps to enlightenment brighten the way," he said, pushing the bookshelf over "But the steps are steep. Take them one at a time."

Like I understood what that meant. I just knew it had something to do with that bookshelf he pushed over. I saw the flying book and approached it. It opened again and began to fly up the opening the Cat revealed.

Steps. Of course. I dashed up the bookshelf and scanned the level I was in. I saw two more books hidden in different corners. I turned to run to the nearest one, only to be stopped by a card guard. I smashed at him to get him out of the way and ran to the other side.

I smashed at two more guards before reaching the third book. Those things were seriously starting to annoy me. I touched the third book, not bothering to see it fly away, and saw an elevator behind it.

I hopped on and waited as it took me up. Adrenaline ran through my veins. I was on my toes, preparing for another attack. If there was another card guard, or two, or three, I'd be ready for them.

I immediately saw one standing beside the last book. I hurled a projectile at him, knocking him out. I touched the last book and it flew to its companions. I approached the four floating books and saw that they formed a bridge to a platform. How lovely.

I jumped on the first one, surprised that it was sturdy, despite the fact that it was a floating book. I leaped towards the next one and lost my footing. I immediately grabbed the edge before I fell to the ground and pulled myself up again. I continued to leap from book to book until I reached the platform.

In my way was a book bigger and slightly more bizarre looking than the four others. This must be it then. The Book of Bizarre things. I touched it, wondering if it would open and fly like the others did. Surprisingly, it didn't. I tried to pry it open, but it wouldn't budge. I looked it over, but found no lock securing it.

The Cat appeared on a platform above me, thank goodness. "There's no lock, but it won't open," I said "It's stuck."

"Treat it like a Chinese box, or a stubborn lid," advised the Cat "A tap in the right place might do the trick."

I looked back at the book, running the Cat's advice over in my mind. Then, I looked over the edge of the platform and had an idea. I pushed the book over the edge. It landed on the floor with a great thud and opened.

"You call that a tap?" said the Cat snidely "Fortunate I didn't suggest force. You might have pulverized it."

_It was the most I can do, insolent brute. At least I got it open, _I thought venomously, but I kept my mouth shut. Seeing that the steps were too far away and that it would waste my time, I decided to leap off from the platform and onto the ground.

The impact shook my knees and my spine violently, but I was miraculously fine. I looked over at the book and read the instructions. "Mushrooms, poppies, sugar and spice. All those things are very nice. When combined, the proper mixture makes a getting-small elixir." I thought about it for a moment. "Hmm….I don't really like sweets…"

I didn't have time to think of anything else. The library began to morph around me and I was suddenly in another part of the school. The first thing I saw was a banshee. Ugh. I thought I would never see these horrid things again.

It shrieked horribly, nearly bursting my eardrums. I took my cards out of my pocket and flung it at the creature. It took more time than I thought, but it finally burst into flames. I felt weak all of a sudden, but strangely, I had no severe injuries or blood loss.

Still, being weak will not help me at all. I entered a room and found a crystal heart in a dark corner. I cracked it open and blue energy seeped into my skin. I regained my lost strength and turned to go back.

But something caught my eye. On a broken platform, I saw flames rising up towards the dark Wonderland sky. It seemed to be engulfing something. I jumped onto the platform and snatched the object from the flames. It was a pair of red dice. A weapon? Most probably. I pocketed it, in case I needed it.

I dashed back into the area I was before, trying to find some sort of escape route. I put away my mallet because I was more comfortable with my trusty blade. Then I saw a pair of red doors, flanked by two bright heart shaped lamps. I felt in my gut that this was the right way, so I went through.

I sliced at the guard who was blocking my way and went through another set of doors. I found myself in a gymnasium, slightly smaller than the auditorium. Strange how a gigantic school such as this could be so empty.

In a hole in the wall, I saw a lever. I approached it and pulled. I heard heavy movement outside and saw that the bleachers were moving out. I had no idea how that would help me, until I saw the old gnome up in the rafters. I guess the bleachers would help me get up there.

I dashed up the bleachers and up the beam towards the rafters. The beams intersected one another in a confusing pattern, but I saw a way towards the old gnome. I carefully edged along the beams, avoiding the heavy swinging lamps.

I saw a red vial in the center of the beams and knew immediately what it was. I didn't dare touch it. I wasn't going to go through that pain again.

I reached the old gnome, who looked relieved to see me. "The gymnasium should be safe," he said "Guards never exercise. Can't afford to lose weight."

As funny as that joke was, I didn't laugh. I couldn't find a reason to laugh with what I've been through lately. "I never cared for sports at school. I don't have to put on a pinny, do I?"

The old gnome chuckled. "No, it wouldn't suit you. I've recalled one of the potions ingredients." He pulled out a giant purple mushroom. "Mushrooms. Lovely texture." He suddenly paused and looked down. "What's that?"

I looked down and grimaced at the creatures flying towards us. Banshees. I looked back at the red vial in the center. I guess I had no choice.

I reached the vial just as the banshees swarmed around me. I touched it and the deathly red gas sprayed on my face. I cried out in pain and fell to my knees.

"How fine you look when dressed in rage," said The Cat as the pain contracted my muscles and sparked my nerves. "Your enemies are fortunate that your condition is not permanent. And you're luck too. Red eyes suit so few."

I saw the familiar dark red hue of my skin and the claws on my fingers. I was bloodthirsty. It was time to destroy those banshees. I whipped out my blade and slashed furiously at them. They all burst into flames instantaneously. I smirked to myself. I kind of enjoyed it when I was in this state. I felt…powerful.

As I dashed out of the room, I felt a sharp pain in my skull again. Another vision. I closed my eyes and concentrated. The old gnome appeared in a small laboratory, preparing the equipment for the potion. My next destination.

My devil self subsided and I became normal again. Just as I came face to face with a lot of enemies at once. I thought of using two weapons at a time, just so that the brutes would be gone quicker. I slashed at the card guards at the bottom and hurled croquet balls at the banshees above. In a few minutes, they were all dead, and I was on my way.

I dashed up the steps and through some doors, slashing at the guards in my way. I entered the laboratory, seeing the old gnome fend for himself against two vicious guards. I finished the job for him quickly.

"You're fortunate that I passed by," I said, taking my blade out of a guards chest.

The old gnome frowned. "Meaning what? I was about to say you were lucky to have found me! Look, I found the last ingredient." He pulled out a bag of sweets. "Sugared spice drops."

I put my hands on my hips. "Whenever we meet up, it seems I also find a bit more trouble." I looked around the laboratory. "Seen any Jumbo Grow about?"

The old gnome pointed at a cupboard. "There's a bit in that flask on the sideboard." I nodded and approached the cupboard. "You see? We're set. Bring back some poppy blooms and we'll mix up the potion."

I frowned as I took the potion from the cupboard. Why didn't he have all the ingredients yet? We would've made the elixir and I would've been able to follow the rabbit. Oh well, if this was part of my mission of saving Wonderland, then so be it.


End file.
